#ICYMI: There’s an elephant in the stadium
MIDRAND – Post-World Cup stadia are still funded by the taxpayers.
Sports stadiums around the world have always attracted controversy and money.
Japan recently announced that ‘it’s back to the drawing board’ after scrapping its current 80 000-seat Olympic stadium plans for the 2020 Olympics and 2019 Rugby World Cup because of cost overruns, which ballooned to $2.5 billion (about R39 billion) from the original cost of $1 billion (about R13 billion).
Russia also admitted that their $1-billion-plus stadium is costing seven times more than originally expected.
But what of South African stadiums and commercial opportunities to sustain them and how do we compare to other continents like America and Europe?
Jaco Beukes, CEO of Sail, a Midrand-based event creation and management company replied, “In short, we are certainly on par with the rest of the world, if not better in certain areas but Africa lacks knowledge and know how on sport commercialisation, which in turn brings about major opportunities.
“Companies in the USA and Europe are way more open to sponsorship and are constantly seeking opportunities to get involved in the sponsorship platforms to leverage their brands. Their packed stadiums and economies of scale increase the demand, and commercial opportunities follow demand.
“Long gone are the glorious days of supporters filling up stadiums, just to see their team take on any opposition. The economic climate hasn’t helped, as stadium attendances and general reductions in entertainment spend have spiralled downward, and income generated from ticket sales has declined dramatically.
“Therefore, stadium experiences and attendance figures need a hard rethink, taking into consideration that sport and corporate brands need to find entertaining and enjoyable ways to engage with the consumer. While the stadium offers a unique platform for sponsors to expose their products, marketers still need to discover ways to get people to the stadium.”
Pricing options, family events are fast becoming key motivators for events.
Sail is fortunate enough to have sufficient events and footfall at three stadia in Gauteng to make them commercially attractive, these include:
FNB Stadium – KCFC home ground as well as hosting an array of music, political and religious events
Orlando stadium – OPFC home ground
Loftus – Sundowns have confirmed the majority of their fixtures for this stadium share the space with the Blue Bulls
“As an industry leader on all things off the field, relationship and providing value-adding solutions for clients remain the one key success factor to provide longevity in business,” said Beukes.
Read: Disabled children’s home in Kaalfontein is looking for transport sponsorship
